By Mike Harrington
Lindy Ruff said it was the first play he thought of. Marcus Foligno said the memory quickly came back to him as well.
The Sabres tied Thursday night's game against Montreal with 1.9 seconds left as Thomas Vanek jabbed home a puck after a bullrush in the offensive zone by Marcus Foligno. It was eerily similar to Jordan Leopold's tying goal last April against Toronto that led to an an overtime victory.
That goal, however, Foligno never saw. After beating Toronto defenseman Mike Komisarek to the spot, Foligno was pinned to the ice with Komisarek's knee on his head. But he had the last word, finally getting up to howl at the Leafs veteran.
"It was a simliar play but my face wasn't getting pounded this time," a smiling Foligno told me after Thursday's game. "It was a desperation play when you drive to the net and throw pucks to the paint. ... We had guys keep whacking at it to take [goaltender Peter Budaj's] vision away so that was really good."
Nose-to-the-grindstone stuff. Just like we remember from his old man, former Sabres captain Mike Foligno. Compare the videos below:
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Marcus Foligno | Montreal Canadiens
